America’s longest federal shutdown officially ended upon Trump’s signature of the funding bill titled “Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026” on Wednesday, November 12.
The Schumer shutdown, named for Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who Democrats were counting on to secure the extension of enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, lasted a record-breaking 43 days.
The Impact on Alaskans
Those 43 days of federal paralysis impacted thousands of Alaskan individuals, families, and businesses. Approximately 15,000 federal workers were furloughed or required to work without pay for the duration of the shutdown. 54,000 adults and 40,000 children faced uncertainty due to interrupted SNAP and WIC funding. An estimated 1,000 Alaskan seniors waited for delayed social security checks. Alaskan businesses suffered losses estimated at $185 million as customer spending declined due to lost wages.
“For 43 days, thousands of Alaskans and millions of Americans have faced uncertainty about getting paid, putting food on the table, and supporting their families as the longest and most senseless government shutdown in history dragged on,” Senator Sullivan said. “This shutdown was completely avoidable. It was spearheaded by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and congressional Democrats to hold the American people hostage as a means to—in their own words—gain ‘leverage.’ The American people should have never been used as political pawns.”
Dems Lose Leverage Game
Despite the costs, the Democrats did not win their political leverage game. In fact, eight Democrats broke from the party to get the funding bill passed and end the game. While Schumer and the Democrats who supported the bill now face intense backlash from the party, the end of the shutdown reflects the average American’s sentiment that federal workers should be paid, that public officials should not pocket money while adding to Americans’ financial burdens, and that the sacrifice of government function is not a justifiable means to a party’s political end.
When signing the funding bill passed by the House and Senate, Trump stated: “Today we’re sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion.”
Wins for Alaska
The funding bill that ended the shutdown included three major wins for Alaskans, specifically for Alaska’s military, veterans, and fishermen.
Senator Lisa Murkowski secured $441 million in military construction funds for Alaska. An additional $133.2 billion was secured for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which can be used to improve mental health services, telehealth services, homeless programs for veterans, suicide prevention programs, addiction treatment services, and rural health initiatives. Alaska has the highest per capita veteran population in the country.
For Alaskan fishermen, the legislation’s USDA funding portion establishes a seafood industry liaison in the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture to advocate for Alaska fishermen. It also prohibits federal funds from being used to procure raw or processed seafood from China for USDA nutrition programs.
Full text of the funding bill that ended the shutdown:
Democraps losing anything is a win for Alaska
Not a good article. Federal re-organization is not unusual and nor is the furlough. Good thing to cut dead-weight employees that refuse to retire so management will create new work and put better resources to work places. 40 million on SNAP before this administration but only 30% were Americans and then rest were illegals. They were removed from the program. The same goes for mediacaid. 60 million seniors on Social Security and DOGE found 9 million illegals. Those that had a problem with Soc.Sec were probably not citizens. Its a trust fund for Americans. They are off the program, of course. No section 8 housing for illegals. Americans only. All that is good and beneficial to Americans. This country is sick and tired of paying for the crimes of other countries. This HR 5371 was introduced by a Representative of the House, Rep Cole, R-OK , not Murkowski. She only voted at then end. Sen. Sullivan put forward the military needs and veterans issues and needs. And, this was a Continuing Resolution till Feb. 1, 2026 which is better than the usual month or two month resolutions. Hope that Obama Care will go out the door this next year.
The greatest WIN would be, is if the disenfranchising of one’s ballot cast came to an end.
-One vote only per legal resident
-in person voting( only military/ vacationers allowed to mail )
– state I/D required
Commfish doesn’t need any more advocacy or support. They need a 2×4 up the side of their head to remind them that the global marketplace in salmon (farmed) is grinding them into economic dust. Fish farmers now have about 85% of the worldwide marketplace. The statewide ban on fish farming in Alaska was so successful that Alaska commfish is no longer economically viable. Congratulations guys you must be very proud. (/sarc)
Their solution is to demand more subsidies, more fish from the streams, and more bailout $$$. Rather than get themselves in the global marketplace by embracing RAS and other farming techniques, they continue to whine and demand special treatment. They have already had their hot little hands in the destruction of king runs in Cook Inlet, are busily destroying king, coho and red runs in PWS, and have done their level best to make the US more dependent on Chinese rare earths with their opposition to Pebble.
They are failing, and like a flailing drowning man, dragging the rest of us down with them. Time to stop this foolishness and start getting the nets out of the water. The economic train is running. Either be on it or be under it. So far, they have chosen to be under it. Cheers –
You easily play both sides of the fence, Caesar’s and God’s, and I’m alluding to your hardline on women’s reproductive rights. Not one mention though of the trickle down economics that the Big Beautiful Bill predicates, the give away to the rich that dwarf the dollar figures you cite as benefits. That’s a democrat talking point, but it rings true to me. It’s the Trump shut down, a failure to address the healthcare crisis in America, to have just an ounce of humility to meet with the Democrats, but he’ll sit down with a Saudi murderer.